Argentina’s Science Budget Slash Sparks Outcry
Table of Contents
- Argentina’s Science Budget Slash Sparks Outcry
- Argentina’s Science Crisis: A Brain Drain in the Making?
- Argentina’s Brain Drain: A Crisis in Science and Research
- Argentina’s Scientific Community sounds the Alarm Amidst Funding Cuts
- Argentina’s Science Ministry Overhauls Funding, Cuts Programs
- Argentina’s Nuclear Gamble: Powering AI’s Future
Argentina’s scientific community is sounding the alarm following meaningful budget cuts implemented by the new governance. During his presidential campaign in August 2023, Javier Milei, now president, stated that science and technology should be left to the private sector, a statement now interpreted as a harbinger of the current crisis. “Let that be in the hands of the private sector, let them earn money serving their fellow man as good people do,” he said at the time.
Scientists are now reporting a dramatic reduction in funding and salaries, averaging a 30% decrease. “It’s not a disappearance, it’s a slow death,” warned Ana Franchi, a senior researcher in Biological Chemistry and former president of CONICET (National Council for Scientific and Technical Research) under the previous administration, in an interview with MDZ. This grim assessment is supported by a recent budgetary analysis from the Grupo Economía.Política.Ciencia (EPC) and the Ibero-American Center for Research in Science and Technology (CICTII).
Frozen Budgets: A Deep Freeze for Research
The analysis reveals devastating cuts across the board.The Secretariat of Innovation, science, and Technology leads the grim list with a 94.5% year-over-year loss. National universities’ science and technology investments plummeted by 85.8%, while the National Agency for the Promotion of Research, Technological Development, and Innovation saw a 72.1% reduction. Even the National Commission for space Activities (CONAE) experienced a significant 50.1% cut.
The report further indicates an overall 30.5% reduction in the national science budget compared to 2023, mirroring the broader 30.7% cut in real terms to overall public spending announced by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in the first quarter of 2024. This translates to a mere 0.216% of GDP allocated to science – a stark violation of the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Financing Law. This law mandates a progressive increase in national science funding to reach 1% of GDP by 2032.
Under the law, the sector should have received 0.39% of GDP this year and 0.45% next year. The current shortfall raises serious concerns about Argentina’s ability to maintain it’s scientific infrastructure and compete globally. The implications extend beyond Argentina, highlighting the challenges faced by nations striving to balance fiscal responsibility with investments in crucial sectors like scientific research and development.
Argentina’s Science Crisis: A Brain Drain in the Making?
Argentina’s scientific community is facing a severe funding crisis, raising alarms about a potential mass exodus of researchers and a crippling blow to the nation’s scientific progress. The situation, largely attributed to government austerity measures under President Javier Milei, has led to drastic budget cuts and plummeting salaries, leaving scientists struggling to maintain their research and even their livelihoods.
The cuts have been especially devastating to the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), a key institution funding salaries and fellowships at argentinian universities. According to one report, CONICET job cuts alone represented about 40% of a broader loss in publicly funded science. [[1]] This has prompted warnings of an impending “brain drain,” as researchers seek opportunities elsewhere.
Agustín Campero, former secretary of Scientific and Technological Articulation under the Macri administration and president of the Alem Foundation, paints a grim picture. He states, “The cut in funding is catastrophic and criminal. It paralyzes scientific activity in almost all areas. What they did was pay salaries, but the supplies for research projects and the normal development of activity—the system is in a worse-than-critical situation.”
Plummeting Salaries and a Bleak Future
The impact on researchers’ salaries has been dramatic. CONICET’s budget has experienced a real-terms decrease of 23.5%,resulting in salary lags of approximately 30% compared to November of the previous year. Ana Franchi, explains, “The significant loss was in January and February, and it hasn’t been recovered at all. We’re dealing with state employee collective bargaining agreements, which are extremely low.” She adds, ”Young researchers are in a very complex situation; I can’t hire a fellow because I can’t afford it.”
Rolando González José, a principal CONICET researcher at the patagonian Institute of Social and Human Sciences, emphasizes the severity of the situation. He notes, “The purchasing power of a CONICET researcher has not only fallen as Milei’s government but is among the lowest regionally.” He further explains, “There was a 30% drop; the rest is just talk. The collective bargaining agreement that’s being finalized always lags behind inflation, which isn’t impacted by the savage increase in services.” He highlights the looming threat of a mass exodus, particularly among young researchers seeking better compensation.
The consequences of this crisis extend beyond Argentina’s borders. The potential loss of skilled scientists could impact global scientific collaboration and innovation. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the importance of sustained investment in scientific research and the devastating effects of drastic budget cuts.
Argentina’s Brain Drain: A Crisis in Science and Research
Argentina is grappling with a significant exodus of its scientific talent, raising concerns about the nation’s future in research and development. the crisis,marked by plummeting salaries and dwindling research funding,has prompted a mass departure of scientists and researchers,echoing similar anxieties in the United states regarding the preservation of its scientific workforce.
The situation is particularly dire at the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), where salaries are substantially below those offered at the National Scientific and technical Research Council (CONICET). “The CNEA is the worst-performing science association in terms of salaries, with engineers and technologists leaving,” a source revealed.
A recent Senate report highlighted a 30% to 40% salary gap between CNEA and CONICET employees.This disparity is compounded by a staggering 68% cumulative inflation rate between January and September of last year, impacting lower-level employees most severely, pushing their salaries below the poverty line. While the government claims to be “aware of the situation and in dialog to find solutions,” the exodus continues.
The Brain Drain: A Looming Threat
The scale of the exodus is alarming. “We’ve lost about 3,000 scientists, 1,000 of whom are from CONICET alone, with the rest being voluntary retirements or resignations to join the private sector or leave the country,” stated a former official.This represents a significant loss of expertise and experience.
Comparing Argentina’s researcher-to-economically active population ratio (3 per 1,000) to that of the United States (9.51) and Israel (17.6), the former official noted, ”Milei says he wants to emulate them in terms of science, but he’s doing the opposite.” This highlights the stark contrast between stated goals and the reality on the ground.
The consequences extend beyond the immediate loss of researchers. “With the departure of these researchers, we lose future scientific trainers,” warned another expert. “They’re eliminating the seedbed, aiming to reduce the scientific base for the next 20 years. University professors are leaving the country.” This points to a long-term erosion of Argentina’s scientific capacity.
While government officials claim there’s no evidence of an increased exodus compared to previous years, citing conversations with laboratory directors and university rectors, others argue that a decline in grant applications and new hires provides empirical evidence of a shrinking scientific community. “It’s an indirect but empirical indicator of how fewer and fewer [scientists] are available,” one official stated.
jóvenes que se quedan dentro del sistema”, puntualizó.un ejemplo de esto es el Conicet, donde su expresidenta afirmó que ”con el no nombramiento del personal técnico, disminuyeron las personas que trabajan en el Conicet por primera vez en 20 años”.A ellos se suman los 860 becarios que habían sido concursados para ingresar al organismo este año y finalmente no se efectivizaron, 250 postdoctorados que no tuvieron continuidad y alrededor de 150 despidos administrativos sobre una planta total de 3000.
Ante la consulta de MDZ, la subsecretaría responsable del área explicó que “ya se avanzó con la gestión de 110 ingresos, de los cuales solo 53 ya presentaron todas las documentales, mientras que el resto se continuará avanzando sujeto a disponibilidad presupuestaria durante los primeros meses de 2025”.
Para González José, esto es el “blanqueo del guadañazo que le están pegando al sistema”. “Este año no ingresaron técnicos al Conicet, personal de apoyo ni profesionales que ya estaban concursados y listos para tener su alta en los distintos institutos del país. El número de becas cayó. Los 53 investigadores que ingresaron eran un remanente de la convocatoria de 2020, la camada más antigua que faltaban entrar. De los últimos años no ingresó ninguno”,sostuvo.
Pablo Navarro, miembro del colectivo Ingresantes Conicet, explicó a este medio que “en gestiones anteriores se preveían estas demoras”, ya que una vez aprobados los trámites administrativos “la designación queda supeditada al presupuesto disponible y a una decisión política”. Sin embargo,el investigador aclaró que “antes se otorgaban prórrogas a las becas hasta que se concretaba el ingreso”,algo que ahora dejó de suceder. “Actualmente hay compañeros que esperan el alta de sus cargos sin percibir ningún salario”, alertó.
Para Campero,el problema de los ingresos en el Conicet se arrastra de las gestión anterior,donde “no hubo planificación ni se priorizaron áreas temáticas y geográficas,y cuya masividad bajó la calidad de los ingresos y disminuyó el ingreso de otros científicos”. “El 80% de los fondos del organismo son para pagar sueldos, con eso no podés hacer ninguna política pública”, argumentó. En ese sentido, aseguró que “lo que están haciendo ahora no tiene sentido, pero es hijo del populismo científico”.
Proyectos frenados y organismos bajo fuego
El recorte presupuestario incide directamente sobre el normal funcionamiento de los organismos y los proyectos que llevan adelante.En ese sentido, todas las fuentes consultadas hicieron énfasis sobre la parálisis de la Agencia Nacional de Promoción de la Investigación, el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación (Agencia I+D+i).
“La agencia es el motor del financiamiento, es la que tiene todos los fondos y las grandes ventanillas de donde salen los subsidios. Hoy está apagada, sin directorio, es un escándalo”, cuestionó gonzález José.
La respuesta de la subsecretaría de Ciencia y Tecnología a MDZ fue que la subejecución presupuestaria se debe a “la imposibilidad de girar nuevos fondos hasta que las instituciones del sistema de Ciencia y Tecnología no hayan rendido la totalidad de lo recibido en la gestión anterior e informado en qué gastaron esos fondos,además de demostrar su uso pertinente”.
sin embargo, para el investigador patagónico, que también es coordinador del programa de Referencia y Biobanco Genómico de la Población Argentina (PoblAr), esas auditorías “son un verso”, ya que “no encontraron irregularidades pero no elevan los informes contables”, lo cual los habilita a no girar los fondos hasta dar por finalizada la evaluación, situación que fue denunciada a principios de diciembre por la Fundación InnovaT, la unidad de Vinculación Tecnológica (UVT) del conicet.
“Nos cortaron el financiamiento que usamos para colectar las muestras y construir el biobanco. Interrumpieron una campaña de donación nacional por completo”, lamentó el biólogo, que también advirtió el freno de otros programas como Pampa Azul – destinado a promover la investigación marina - y Equipar Ciencia y Construir Ciencia, cuyos fondos se giraron pero nunca se ejecutaron.
Sumó su preocupación el físico del Conicet y exvicepresidente de la Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) Diego Hurtado, que a observó en diálogo con MDZ una “intencionalidad polí
Argentina’s Scientific Community sounds the Alarm Amidst Funding Cuts
Argentina’s scientific community is expressing deep concern over drastic budget cuts impacting vital research projects and institutions. leading researchers are reporting significant setbacks in key areas, raising fears about the nation’s scientific future.
The concerns center around a perceived slowdown in several high-profile initiatives. One prominent example is the reported sharp decline in funding for the CAREM nuclear reactor project. “The drop was abrupt,” stated a physicist, speaking on condition of anonymity, “Investment in CAREM fell to 58%. This means contract cancellations,and restarting requires finding new companies and signing new agreements. The time lost is enormous.” This delay not only impacts technological advancement but also has economic implications, potentially disrupting contracts and delaying progress.
Further concerns have been raised regarding the Saocom 2 and SABIA-Mar satellite missions. While the Ministry of Science and Technology claims that SABIA-Mar “has continued its tasks this year” and Saocom 2 “has seen engineering development advances,” the overall impact of budget constraints remains a significant worry for researchers.
The criticism extends beyond specific projects. Another researcher commented, “Agencies like INTI, INTA, and CNEA are being decimated. They all needed deep reforms; they were all atrophied institutions, but you can’t just burn them down. You need surgery, a hammer and chisel to carve the stone; these people used a chainsaw blindfolded.” This highlights the concern that necessary reforms are being implemented in a destructive, rather than constructive, manner.
Adding to the concerns, a former government official noted the lack of deregulation to allow public researchers to work in private companies or start their own. “The Kirchner administration imposed manny roadblocks,and the current government isn’t doing anything about it,” the official stated.This lack of versatility hinders innovation and limits the potential for technological advancements.
The situation is further underscored by the symbolic absence of several prestigious awards this year. “For the first time in decades, the National Researcher Distinction, the Houssay, and Sábato awards weren’t given,” a researcher pointed out. “We’re witnessing ‘scientifical murder,’ an assault from various fronts: financial, institutional, communicative, and through stigmatization.” This statement encapsulates the multifaceted nature of the crisis facing Argentina’s scientific community.
The Government’s Response
Since June of last year, the Secretariat of Innovation, Science, and Technology has been led by Darío Genua, a graduate in Business Administration from the Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA). Prior to his appointment, Genua served as chief of Staff at the National Communications agency (enacom) and is the founder of OpenAgro, a company managing trusts in Argentina.His appointment followed the departure of Alejandro [Last name omitted due to incomplete data].
Argentina’s Science Ministry Overhauls Funding, Cuts Programs
Argentina’s Ministry of Science and Technology is implementing sweeping changes, cutting numerous programs and overhauling its funding structure. The move, according to ministry officials, aims to improve transparency and efficiency in the use of taxpayer dollars. The restructuring follows concerns about past mismanagement and the misuse of funds for political purposes.
The current undersecretary of Science and Technology, Paula nahirñak, a Master’s graduate in Science and Technology Policy and Management from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), has been instrumental in the restructuring. Nahirñak, who previously worked under Agustín Campero at the Secretariat for Scientific and Technological Articulation during the Macri administration, commented on the challenges.”She’s incredibly capable and qualified, as is her team,” Campero told MDZ, “but they aren’t being given a single peso.”
A report submitted to the Senate in late November by the Cabinet Chief’s office revealed that the ministry’s first year focused on “sanitizing the ministries that frequently used state resources to finance politics.” This involved a complete review of existing programs and funding practices.
Ministry officials explained that the restructuring aims to “reorient the management of science and technology policies, promoting transparent mechanisms, rewarding efficiency, innovation, and the application of discoveries and developments to benefit the country’s growth and the well-being of Argentinians.” Key initiatives include strengthening ties between scientists and the private sector, promoting co-financing of scholarships with businesses, encouraging patent generation, and developing regulations to stimulate private investment in research and development.
The ministry emphasized its commitment to leveraging “disruptive technologies in dynamic sectors with immense growth potential, such as agriculture, biotechnology, energy, and the knowledge economy.” However, officials also criticized previous administrations, stating that ”those who governed in recent years dedicated themselves to ruining the state, exorbitantly increasing its structures, distorting its functions, and making irresponsible use of resources. Today, we are experiencing the consequences.”
The ministry’s review uncovered “pending and overdue expense reports, an excessive expansion of the base of funded research that harmed research contributing to productive development and value generation in the country, and over 70 programs for science and technology transfers, many overlapping with those of the I+D+i Agency.” Furthermore, the ministry found “programs and subsidies that had nothing to do with the Secretariat.” Consequently,many of these programs “that have nothing to do with the ministry will be discontinued.”
The restructuring is expected to have significant implications for Argentina’s scientific community and its overall economic development. The long-term effects of these changes remain to be seen, but the ministry’s commitment to transparency and efficiency signals a shift in how government resources are allocated in the science and technology sector.
Argentina’s Nuclear Gamble: Powering AI’s Future
Argentina’s newly elected President Javier Milei has made a bold move, announcing a plan to significantly expand the nation’s nuclear energy capacity. The stated goal? To provide the massive energy demands of Argentina’s rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. While the initiative has generated considerable buzz, specifics remain scarce, leaving many questioning its feasibility.
The plan,unveiled late last year,promises to incentivize the development of atomic energy. Though, President Milei hasn’t yet offered concrete details on how this enterprising project will be implemented. This lack of transparency has fueled speculation and raised concerns among experts.
the year 2025 will be a crucial test for Milei’s vision. It will determine whether his promises translate into tangible policy and substantial investment in Argentina’s nuclear sector. The success or failure of this initiative could have significant implications not only for argentina’s energy independence but also for its technological advancement in the rapidly evolving field of AI.
The potential impact extends beyond Argentina’s borders. The success of this plan could influence other developing nations considering similar strategies to balance energy needs with technological growth. Conversely, any setbacks could serve as a cautionary tale for countries pursuing ambitious nuclear energy projects without a clear roadmap.
The provided text presents a complex and concerning situation regarding Argentina’s scientific community. Hear’s a breakdown of the key points and implications:
Concerns and Criticisms:
Funding Cuts: Ther are notable concerns about drastic budget cuts impacting vital research projects, institutions, and essential initiatives. Some examples include:
CAREM nuclear reactor project: Funding reportedly dropped by 42%, leading to contract cancellations and delays, jeopardizing technological advancement and economic prospects.
Saocom 2 and SABIA-Mar satellite missions: While the Ministry claims progress, researchers fear the overall impact of budget constraints.
Agencies like INTI,INTA,and CNEA: Researchers allege these institutions are being “decimated” rather than reformed,expressing worry about destructive practices instead of constructive solutions.
Lack of Regulatory Adaptability:
There’s a lack of regulations allowing public researchers to work with private companies or start their own ventures. This limits innovation and collaboration opportunities.
Symbolic Absence: The cancellation of prestigious awards, like the National Researcher Distinction, Houssay, and Sábato awards, symbolizes the devaluation of science and research.
Broader Attack on Science: Researchers describe the situation as “scientifical murder,” highlighting an attack on scientific endeavors from various fronts—financial, institutional, communicational, and through stigmatization.
Government Response and Rationale:
Ministry’s Overhaul: The Ministry of Science and Technology claims to be implementing sweeping changes, cutting programs, and restructuring funding to improve transparency and efficiency.
Past mismanagement: The ministry cites concerns about past mismanagement and misuse of funds for political purposes as reasons for the overhaul.
Focus on Efficiency and Innovation: The ministry emphasizes a reorientation towards promoting transparency, rewarding efficiency, and fostering innovation to benefit the country’s growth and well-being.
Critique of Previous Administrations:
The ministry criticizes previous administrations for irresponsible spending, distorting the role of the state, and ultimately hindering scientific progress.
Overall Implications:
The situation paints a bleak picture for Argentina’s scientific community.
Stifled Innovation: Funding cuts and restrictions hinder research, possibly slowing down technological advancements and national progress.
Brain drain: Researchers may seek opportunities abroad due to a lack of support and funding, leading to a loss of talent and expertise.
Weakened Institutions:
The lack of support for key research institutions weakens their ability to contribute to national growth.
Potential Economic Consequences:
Reduced investment in research and development may have long-term economic repercussions, impacting innovation, competitiveness, and job creation.
Moving Forward:
A constructive approach is crucial to address these concerns. Open dialog between scientists, policymakers, and the public is essential to:
Clear Budgeting: Implement transparent and accountable budget allocation processes for science funding to ensure resources are used effectively.
Stable Funding: Provide stable and predictable funding for research projects to allow for long-term planning and ensure continuity.
Policy Reforms:
Introduce policies that encourage collaboration between academia and industry, enabling researchers to translate their findings into practical applications.
* Public Awareness:
Raise public awareness about the importance of scientific research and its contribution to society’s well-being and progress.
